AVIDGOLFER

Why The USGA Never Learns From It’s Groundhog Day Missteps

Rick Arnett /

Mike Davis addresses critics

Every year, the USGA stumbles to achieve its precarious goal of setting up a U.S. Open venue to be ultra-tough but supposedly fair. Whether its course conditions, unpredictable weather, terrible gallery access or rules violation fiascos, our golf governing body apparently cannot learn from past mistakes.

This year at Shinnecock Hills was no different–for the 2nd consecutive time (2004). They couldn’t get the pin positions set for big breezes, mismanaged at least two greens–especially during Saturday’s afternoon stage that became at least 5-shots tougher than the morning wave. They took it in the shorts and overcorrected for Sunday (leading to a near record 63 by Tommy Fleetwood).

One question is why do they pick the best venues only to desecrate them to appear nothing like the classic tracks most know? They’re like locusts who swarm over a beautiful farm and destroy everything in their path.

Or, the USGA is like the much-maligned NCAA. Seriously, what’s a tougher organization to defend? Both are stupendously flawed and totally bulletproof. Sadly it doesn’t matter because outside of some bad press, there are zero ramifications. Business as usual.

GolfChannel’s Brandel Chamblee…

“Something’s amiss in a big, big way,” Chamblee said. “I think the USGA has lost a lot of the trust of the golf world.”

To Chamblee, this was not an anomaly, stating his belief that the organization fell asleep at the well regarding equipment. Specifically, the rebound effect in drivers.

“They missed the rebound effect and the combination of the rebound effect [with] the ball. They missed it, on their watch. And now, the feeling is that they’re crying foul, even though it was on their watch. And so, essentially, the equipment companies got it done, by [the USGA’s] standards, legally.

“There’s penalties that they levy that make absolutely no sense, penalties that they don’t levy,” Chamblee said. “Disqualifying Phil Mickelson made perfect sense.”

Moreover, he listed the litany of set-up issues the championship has faced, issues that other championships have not experienced on a recurring basis. Leading Chamblee to deduce there are problems at the top.

“There seems to be no obvious leadership, you know, to me,” he said. “No obvious leadership heading in the right direction.”

We can gnash our collective choppers, but rest assured the USGA will continue to mismanage the game. They just don’t know how to setup a course at its absolute limit to challenge the best players in the world. For instance, has anyone heard of them tricking up a U.S. Amateur venue as badly?  Its the pros that gives CEO Mike Davis’ minions and the field sleepless nights.

The USGA never fails to fail–Henrik Stenson.

The answer is to consult with the governing bodies that routinely setup courses for the Tour players (PGA and European Tours). But something tells me that’s not an option for a group that always believes they possess all the answers yet continually only produce endless questions.

Chambers Bay Erin Hills Shinnecock Hills U.S. Open USGA